TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama will be without backup linebacker Justin Jefferson for the first half of its game at Wisconsin this week.
Jefferson was ejected for targeting with roughly nine minutes remaining in last weekend’s 42-16 win over South Florida. According to NCAA rules, because the foul occurred in the second half of the game, the defender will also have to sit for the first half of the following game.
The targeting call on Jefferson came following a hit the linebacker made on USF quarterback Byrum Brown. While the targeting did not appear to be intentional, the crown of Jefferson’s helmet hit Brown’s helmet, therefore accurately warranting a flag. According to NCAA rules, “no player shall target and make forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless player or contact an opponent with the crown (top) of their helmet.”
“It’s always disappointing when you have a dynamic player that is not available for one half of the game,” Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said Monday. “We looked at the play, I looked at it from about every angle I could, I think we’ve just got to tell the young man to keep playing. It is what it is. We’ll deal with it and get ourselves ready for him in the second half.”
When asked about the call Monday, head coach Kalen DeBoer acknowledged that the two players’ helmets hit each other while adding that the team is still waiting to get feedback on the play.
“There’s not much you can do when you’re out there as a coach at that moment,” DeBoer said. “Anything I say isn’t going to matter when they’re going through their decision.”
Despite his ejection, Jefferson finished the game second on the team with 10 tackles, including a sack. Through two games, the senior linebacker is third on the team with 12 stops.
“Justin’s certainly flying around,” DeBoer said. “We feel great about the speed he brings. He’s getting to it. … Not to mention, he’s a guy that’s become a leader on our football team with the energy he brings every day. I just love having in this program. He’s involved in special teams. And so not having him out there in the first half will be tougher. He’s an important part n what we do in different packages. It’s unfortunate that happened late in the game. We’ll have to work through that here in the first half at Wisconsin.”
Wisconsin will also be without one of its linebackers for the first half this weekend, as starter Jake Chaney was ejected for targeting in the third quarter of the Badgers’ victory over South Dakota this past weekend.
The penalty on Chaney came as he broke up a pass to receiver Javion Phelps over the middle. While Chaney didn’t make contact with Phelps’ helmet, he led with the crown of his helmet which drew the flag.
“It’s a bang-bang kind of play,” Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell said after the game via Yahoo! Sports. “To tell you the truth I didn’t even see it. I guess it’s his head in a stomach. That’s probably the first time I’ve seen a guy thrown out of game for hitting a guy in the stomach with his helmet, but I’m sure to the letter of the law it is what it is.”
Through two games, Chaney has recorded eight tackles and one quarterback hurry. The senior finished last year with 80 stops, including seven for a loss with three sacks.
“At some point and time we try to adopt all these things the NFL does, but yet we throw out kids that get 12 guaranteed games to us (because of) things that are not malicious,” Fickell said. “I’m not saying that taking the head out of the game is not what we need to do. Penalize us and things like that. But to throw kids out of the game I think is the wrong thing.”
No. 4 Alabama (2-0) will travel to Wisconsin (2-0) for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff on Saturday inside Camp Randall Stadium. The game will be televised on FOX.
